Meat-slicing machine.



A. L. GARDNER.

MEAT SLICING MACHINE.

APPLICATION F|LED'DEc.2. |912.

1,152,623., Patentedsept. 7,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

COLUMBIA PLANnuRAPl-l 120 wASHlNu'roN. D. c.

A. L. GARDNER.

MEAT SLICING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEc.28.1912.

1,352,623. v PatentedSept. 7, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mlllllli IIIHNI! /30- mlllpnkx CDLUMBM PLANanRwl-l CD.. WASHINGTON D c ymodified form of the device.

ADELBERT L. GARDNER, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF TO CURTIS H. GARDNER.

MEAT-SLICING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

c rammed sept. 7, isis.

Application led December 28, 1912. Serial No. 739,034.

T all whom 'it may concern Beit known that I, ADELBERT L. GARDNER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Meat-Slicing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to meat slicing machines and more especially to means employed in connection with such machines for separating the rind from the meat.

Heretofore it has been observed that an improvement was desired over the old way of removing the rind from a piece of meat by hand, and means have been provided for doing this automatically; and during the slicing operation in order that the rind may be left on the meat as long as possible to better preserve it from Contact with the air. It has been unavoidable however that after the rst slice has been taken from the meat there is left an exposed raw surface, while at the saine time the separated rind has been cut by the slicing knife into narrow strips, making it unavailable as a covering for such raw surface, and of no practical value as a salable product, orfor any other purpose. One of the objects therefore of therpresent invention is to provide means used in connection with a meat slicing machine for separating the rind from the meat without cutting or injuring it in any way, but leaving it attached tothe meat at one edge in order that it may be folded over and used to cover the exposed surface of raw meat left after the slicing operations; or, if desired, maybe subsequently severed by the slicing knife in a single piece, useful as a by-product, or otherwise.

A device embodying the principles of theV present invention is illustrated` in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a view in front elevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial view in side elevation. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 isa vertical section similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts in an altered position. Fig. 6 Vis a horizontal section on the line 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 7 of Fig. 1. Fig.V 8 is a partial view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but showing the parts in an altered position. y

A,s shown in said drawings the complete slicing machine comprises a suitable base frame A having at its side upright stands ards, one of which is indicated at 16, supporting a circular rotating knife 18 which is mounted on a horizontal shaft 20 journaled in the upper ends of such standards. The knife is driven through suitable gearing from a horizontal shaft 23 having at its outer end a Hy wheel 24 vin which is iixed a handle 25; the connection to the circular knife as here shown comprisingV a bevel gear 28, on the inner end of the shaft, meshing' with another bevel gear on a horizontal shaft and integral with a sprocket 32 which is connected by a chain to another sprocket 33 fixed to the hubV of the circular knife. A third bevel gear 34 is mounted on a vertical shaft and carries on its hub a pinion 36 meshing with a larger pinion or gear 37 having a crank pin and a connecting rod 38 for reciprocally moving a traveling meat carriage or meat supporting platform 40, above the base 15, whereby the meat is moved toward the edge of the knife for the proper slicing operation. The supporting base 15 is made somewhat in the form of a box, having a highv vertical front wall 43, and a flat ,horizontal top 44 on which the traveling meat platform is supported by wheels 46; and the driving shaft 23 is journaled in an opening througha side wall of the base and extends through its interior toward the opposite side where are arranged the bevol gears and other parts for rotating the circular knife. A transverse slot through the horizontal top 44 of the supporting base isV bounded by parallel vertical flanges in the form of walls 48, and between such walls and depending from the meat platform is a flange 49 which guides thev moving platform` or carriage; and also a post 50. which extends into the hollow base and is connected at its lower end to the ccnnecting rod 38. The upper surface of the meat supporting platform 40 is` made with longitudinal groovesor iutingsl to prevent the meat from slipping sidewise, andi at its rear is erected a frame comprising vertical posts 53, a lower, toothed horizontal bar 54, and a movable, toothed, upper bar 56 for securely fastening the meat to the carriage; the two posts .53 having notches for engagement respectively by a hook-shaped part, or notch 60 on one end of the top bar 56, and' a `movablepa'wl 61V at its other end;

These parts are all made in. accordance with 'well known princi-plesl and embodying the construction'of machines atpresent' on the market, Vandare accordingly indicated here diagrammaticallyfmerely, and to some eX- tent indottedr outline; only; and' their particular construction constitutes-'no partl of the present invention.

The operation of'. this partof'the device is asfollows: rEhegpieceof meatto-be sliced-is placed on` the platform 41.0, with a part of it resting on the toothedwbarf 54, and is; clamped securely in placefby means ofthe clamping bar 56; In 'rotating-the shaft23-bymeans` ofthe fly Wheel andV handle on its end the cuttingvknife 18'-` is rapidly rotated. through the gearinginathe base of the device and.l the connecting rod138'acts to slide the mea-t platformbaclr andrforth, anda feeding device, nothere show-n but-likewise madeinaccordancepwithxwelleknown principles, feeds the meat. forward onrthe meat platforml so that the operation iste. slice: thin slices of-meat O? the .endf of the piece.

Referring. new more particularly vto v the attachment. or addition 'to theabove describede machine which r constitutes the subject 'ofthe' present invention, Sii-indicates a horizontal shelflor ledge `vvhiclr extendsv `from the .wallftfsomewhat'below the meat platform 40', being b'oltedto/such wal-l' byv means (if-bolts A81. This shelf or ledge forms` the 4'5" support-for. a swinging frame 85V which is y placedf.y immediately! above. it: and-1 isy formed with integral downward extensions 86, 86' at each end,K the latterfbeingpivotally attached: byf means of bolts; or cap screws. 87- tothe ends of the ledge-8051wherebyr thel frame 85 is-lfree to movetoward and 'from the verticali facefof ther-'Walt L1B" abouti its yhorizontalI axis formed-by the bolts 87:' Itsmovement however, is limited by abracket 89 similarly bolted to the vertical' wall 43 and` hav-ingan o arc-shaped' s'lot90v through which extends a threaded pin orVv 'stud' 91V on=Y the end ofV the frame 85'; such stud" having a knurledf nut or hand;I wheel@ 92 onits: endforthe purpose of fixing the' swingi-ngbracket inl-its desired positions.L Twol openings are` inadevertically through the-1' frame member 851 and into these are setcylindric-'post's 94 which are made a sliding fitwithin-theppenings.

These posts are threaded, andlthrough. 'thej frame member 85 and intersecting the vertical openings are also made laterally extended horizontal openings or slots 96 in which are set nuts in the form of small hand wheels 98 having threaded openings through their hubs to engage with the threaded posts 94 for the purpose of raising and lowering them. To the upper ends of the posts 94 is fixed a horizontal stripper 100. This is angular as viewed in cross section (Fig. 3) and comprises a vertical web part or plate 101 and an integral horizontal fiange, or ledge 102, with a sloping top surface, which iiange is made tapering in thickness and terminating in a thin rear edge adapted for forcing between ther-ind andy the meat inthe forward feeding of thel latter. The underside of the horizontal part 102y andi the innerside of the vertical part 101 meet in a rounded surface 108, as shown, inorder that the detached rind 105 may he directed downward in the outward movement of the meat and withheld from the knife 18; and in the operation of the device the; outward feed.- in-g of thevmeat and its reciprocal lateral movement on the` sliding platform 10 causes the stripper 100 to be forced. be,- tween the meat and the rind and the 'rind to be, curved and directed down ward, while the meat` is fed forward and supported on the upper surface of the horizontal part 102 and-,sliced by the knife 18; the upper side of the stripperand the outer side of the vertical vpart meeting in an abrupt edge 110-to form al shearing element in connection with the circular knife, whose cutting plane is` indicated by the dotted lines 111-.k At the Iend; of the stripper adjacent to the knife the vertical party 101y is exr tended beyondy the horizontal ledge 102 Vand flared outward toform a part 112 over-lapping the circumference of the.: `circular knifey and closely adjacent to itsv side for the purpose of better supporting the meat which slides over the top of the lstripper-in the feeding operation toward-the knifc.` rPhe stripper supporting posts. 94rare adjustable in height by means. of-"the` hand wheels 98 to allow for different thicknesses. of rind, and their downward adjustment islimited by means of threaded collars 114s fixed by set nuts 115, in orderto `prevent' them from being lowered' enoughA to interfere.withfthc platform 40.. `Then it is ydesired that the stripper shall'not operate, asy for the purpose of sevel-ing the piece of rind remaining after one or more slicingoperations, or when it is desired toremove thel unsevered piece of rind` from beneathy the stripper to permit itvto be folded as a covering over theeXposed' surface ,of meat, the supporting bracket 85 may be swung for\va1-cl,an'ay from the, meat platform l10, about its horizontal pivot below; and to allow the necessary freedom of movement ofy the posts 94,

a large opening ismade in the shelf to accommodate their lower ends. i Y

`When it is desired'also that the stripper' shall remain inoperative, as for example in operating on a piece of meat which has no rind, it may be swung forward land outward as above noted; and in such case, for the purpose of properly supporting themeat at the forward edge of' the meat platform, there is raised into position rfrom beneath the projecting edge of the platform 40', a filling member, or movable ledge 120, comprising a vertical plate with its upper edge grooved to correspond with the grooves -in the platform 40; ft is supported by integral brackets in theV form of vertical flanges or ribs 121 with openings therethrough to form eccentric straps engaging with eccentrics 122 on a horizontal shaft 125, by therotating of which the plate 120 is raised and lowered; a handle 126 being fixed to itsouter end for such purpose. A horizontal ledge 130 below the eccentric shaft forms a stop or Vrest for the movable plate 120, and a spring 132 acts to draw its lower edge backward or toward such stop. lt will be seen therefore that when the eccentrics are rotated in a direction to raise the plate, the spring will act totdraw its lower edge backward and thereby move its upper edge forward to clear the overhanging forward edge of the platform 40 and permit it to be raised into its proper position againstthe end of and supplementing the length of the platform. The lower part of the plate 120 is slanted backward and thence downward to form a part 135 in a vertical plane back of the plane of its upper part so that when it is in its raised position the bottom part can rest against the stop 130 while the top part rests against the edge of the meat platform; where the movable ledge is securely clamped in position by further rotating the eccentrics sufficiently to press it backward and against such surfaces. ln Figs. 8 and 9 is illustrated a form of the device in which the adjustable meat supporting member 120, and its eccentric shaft and other parts, are omitted, and in such case the edge of the meat platform, which is indicated in these views at 140, is provided with a recess or groove 142 in its front edge. When it is desired that the stripping devices shall remain inoperative the stripper 100 is swung forward and lowered, and then swung backward upon its horizontal pivot to enter such groove, as shown inFig. 9; but with its projecting part supporting the meat in the proper position adjacent to the slicing knife, whose cutting plane is indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 9. ln order to permit of such lowering of the stripperl however, the collars 114i are either adjusted farther upward on the threaded posts 94, or may be omitted entirely.

ln addition to the other advantages enumerated of separating the rind from the meat without entirely detaching it therefrom, such operation also results in great economy, as whena piece of meat has been sliced away until only a small part remains, the piece may be turned around land secured by clamping another piece of meat over the attached ,flap of rind, and being thus supported, may be sliced away completely.`

I claim as myV invention:

1. In a meat slicing machine, the combination with a meat supporting platform and a slicing knife, of a rind stripper `adjacent the edge of such plat-form, such stripper being adapted to support the meat in cutting position and to withhold the rind from the slicing knife, v`means for adjusting the rind stripper in such position as not to separate the rind from the meat, and means for supporting the forward edge of the meat in the proper cutting position when the stripper is insuch latter position.

2. In a meat slicing-machine, the combination with a meat supportingplatform and a slicing knife, of a shel'fjbelow such platform, a bracket pivoted to such shelf, posts supported insuch bracket, a rind stripper at the top of such posts, and means for raising and lowering such posts.

3. In a meat slicing machine, the combination with a meat supporting platform and a slicing knife, of a ledge below such platform, a bracket supported by such ledge and having an opening therethrough, a threaded post set in suoli opening, a nut engaging therewith,and a rind stripper at the top of such post. I

4. In a meat slicing machine, the combination with a meat supporting platform and a slicing knife, of a rind stripper adjacent the edge of such platform the top surface of such rind stripper sloping toward such meat supporting platform and terminating in a .thin edge, such stripper being adapted to separate the meat from the rind, to support the meat in cutting position, and to withhold the rind from contact with the edge of the slicing lniife.

5. In a meat slicing machine, the combination with a slicing knife and a meat supporting platform, of a rind stripper adjacent the edge of such platform, such rind stripper having an upper surface adapted to support the meat in proper cutting position, and a lower surface adapted to withhold the rind from the slicing knife.

G. In a meat slicing machine, the combination with a slicing knife and a meat supporting platform, of a rind stripper adjacent the edge of such platform, such rind stripper having a flat upper surface to support the meat, a thin edge, and a curved under surface adapted to turn the rind downward.

7. ln a meat slicing machine, the combinabien Iwith slicing knifel and.; a meet :sup-

Y portingple tform, of` 1a rind `stig-ipper ,ad-

iaeent thefdge 0f, Suchk platform, suehfrind stripper having a flat tippen surface tosnpf pont4 the meat, e thin edge, and a curned Vundersiir-face adaptedto turn, the rind downward, yand vbeing vertically adjustable. 8. In va meat yslicing machine,the lo olnbination with a laterally,reeiproeaflly, mov- Y ingimife..V

59. line meat slicingv machine, the combination With kzirlaterailly, reeiprocally.,y movable meat supporting platform ande knife having its cuttingedge ine plane beyond the: front edgeofsnoh platform', ofastationery` rind' stripper extending across the-front edge of such platform, havingl ev surface adapted to support the meatin po@ sition for cutting, and an under` 4surf-eee edziptedy to withholdv the rind from the slicing knife5suehrind stripper being vertically adjustable.

10.111 e meat slicingv machine, the oombination with a, later-ally, reoiproeally, movablev meat supporting platform amd a slicinglmife having its cutting edge in a plane beyondthe front edge of, such.V platform, of a, stationary rind stripper extending across the4 front edge of such platform and 'overlapping-the edge of such slicing knife, Asuoli rindstripper hevinga surface adapted to supporti the meat position for-eutting,m1d en und-er'.l surface adapted, to withhold the rind from the slicing knife.

l'n Witness,l whereof, VI have .hereunto subscribed my name in the 'presence of -tWo Witnesses this 13th day of December, 1912i S. D; HI-Rs'emi..

Copies ofthis pfe|. 1:q.=.i11:y may? hefobtainedior-ve vcents eahl, hy addressing theA 5 Gommssioner of Patents, .v Y f Y Washington, 13.63 

